Folded sheet



J. R. BURNS Jul 31, 1962 FOLDED SHEET Filed March 16, 1961 w d r Mwiwm M N H 2% Jersey Filed Mar. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 96,138

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 2il657) This invention relates to individual folded sheet materials, such as folded paper towels. More specifically the invention relates to folded paper towels which are adapted to be dispensed individually from a suitable dispenser and simultaneously unfolded for immediate use.

In the standard paper towel dispensers the towels are usually interleaved or interfolded so that the withdrawal of one towel serves to partially withdraw the next succeeding towel. This provides a continuous pop out action so there is always a portion of the next succeeding towel protruding from the dispenser for grasping. One of the deficiencies of such an arrangement is that in order to insure the pop-out, the dispenser opening must be relatively wide. This width causes the towels to sag in the center so that when an attempt is made to remove a single towel several towels may be removed from the dispenser. Not only is this uneconomical from the standpoint of wasted towels, but it also necessitates refilling the dispenser more often than would be otherwise necessary. When refilling the dispenser, extra time is involved since the top towel remaining in the dispenser must be interleaved with the bottom towel of the recharging stack to insure proper dispensing action.

Variations in the design of the towel have been employed to avoid the above noted problems. For instance, multi-ply non-interleaved towels have been employed to prevent the sagging of the stack at the dispenser opening and to decrease the depth of the dispenser. These towels, when dispensed, have at least a double thickness which if properly employed decreases the demand for extra towels. Obviously if the folded towels are completely unfolded, greater utilization of the absorbing capacities of t e towel material is realized since the surface area exposed is at least double that of the unfolded towel. Ideally then, for economy as well as convenience, the towel should be automatically unfolded as it is removed from the dispenser. Further, in order to economize when recharging the dispenser, the towels should be designed so that they may be dispensed regardless of which side is presented to the dispensing opening.

The present invention provides a folded towel that is not interleaved or interfolded and hence can be inserted in a dispenser without engaging the bottom towel in the recharging stack with the top towel remaining in the dispenser. Furthermore, a relatively small dispensing opening can be employed, eliminating the sagging of the stack in the center portion and thus preventing more than one towel at a time from protruding below the dispenser opening. The towels when stacked do not tilt but remain in horizontal position since both edges of the towel contain the same number of plies. The towels automatically unfold to full length when dispensed, regardless of which face is presented to the dispensing opening insuring a greater surface area for drying action. The general shape and characteristics of the new towel of this invention are such as to render it usable in conventional multi-ply towel dispensers.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a towel especially designed to unfold automatically when dispensed regardless of which side is presented to the dispensing opening.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a towel which maintains its shape and does not prematurely sag below the dispenser opening.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a towel having improved characteristics but which is manufactured by present equipment and can be employed in conventional multi-ply towel dispensers.

Further details, advantages and objects of the inven tion will be apparent from the following specification and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an unfolded sheet having the prospective fold lines indicated by broken lines,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the folded sheet shown in FIGURE 1, 7

FIGURE 3 is a cross section on a transverse vertical plane through the lower portion of a conventional multiply'towel dispenser with folded sheets according to the present invention shown in one position, v

FIGURE 4 is a cross section on a transverse vertical plane through the lower portion of a conventional multiply towel dispenser with folded sheets according to the present invention shown in another position, and

FIGURE 5 is a cross section on a transverse vertical plane through the lower portion of a conventional multiplytowel dispenser with a towel shown in extended position being removed.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a folded towel for example, is made of a single foldable sheet of material such as paper. The sheet is divided along indicated fold lines lit-14 to provide portions including end portions 29 and 25, main portions 21 and 24, and middle portions 22 and 23. The folded towel is produced by folding the sheet shown in FIGURE 1 along the indicated fold lines so that portions 2tl25 will lie in a certain specific relationship.

The folding may be accomplished by proceeding in a variety of ways, but only one will be described in detail. Initially, end portions 20 and 25 are folded inwardly along fold lines 10 and 14, respectively, to lie flat on main portions 21 and 24. The partially folded sheet is then doubled by folding portions 2325 outwardly about fold line 12 so that portions 21 and 24 lie in parallel contacting relationship. End portions 20 and 25 lie on the outside surfaces of main portions 21 and 24, respectively. The folding is then completed by folding middle portions 22 and 23, which are connected by fold line 12 either inwardly or outwardly about fold lines 11 and 13, respectively, to lie in parallel relationship with the main portions 21 and 24. Obviously, since prior to the final fold, the doubled sheet has the same configuration on both sides, it is immaterial upon which main portion the middle portions are folded. A fold in either direction about fold lines 11 and 13 will produce the configuration of the finished towel shown, in perspective in FIGURE 2. The folded towel is composed of a series of connected rectangular portions having two thicknesses in the central section and four thicknesses in the edge sections.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show the towel according to this invention inserted in two different positions in a conventional rnulti-ply towel dispenser. As is apparent from the drawings an end portion is always presented, Le. 20 or 25, for grasping regardless of whether the towel is loaded in the dispenser with the middle portions 22 and 23 face up or face down. This versatility of folds facilitates recharging the dispenser since the towels may be inserted with either side up. However, in recharging the dispenser it is necessary to load the towels so as to position the end portions 20 and 25 at the rear of the dispenser in order to insure automatic unfolding of the individual towels as they are withdrawn from the dispenser.

The towel is dispensed by grasping an end portion .20 or 25, the particular portion depending upon whether the towel is in the position shown in FIGURE 3 or the position in FIGURE 4, and pulling. As the towel is withdrawn the end, main and central portions unfold so that the portions of the dispensed towel lie essentially in a common plane. This simultaneous unfolding and dispensing action occurs with each individual folded towel.

The towel made in accordance with, the present invention may be used with a variety of conventional towel dispensers although particularly well adapted to be used with conventional multi-ply dispensers. It is to be understood that the dimensions and thematerial from which the folded sheetis made may be suitably varied and selected without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: 7 r

1. A towel formed of a sheet of paper comprising a pair of superposed main portions; a pair of superposed middle portions hingedly connected to .each by a fold line along one edge and along their opposite edges to said main portions; said middle portions being folded together to lie superposed on one of said main portions; a pair of edge portions hingedly connected by fold lines to the opposite edges of said main portions with each of said edge portions folded back to lie superposed on 'the outside surface of the main portion to which it is medial fold line to form a two-ply sheet, portions of said plies adjacent said fold line being folded together to lie superposed on one of said plies; a portion of each of said plies adjacent the edge opposite said fold line being folded back to lie superposed on the ply to which it is attached.

4. The sheet material of claim 3 wherein said plies and said portions are rectangular in configuration.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wheeler July 16, 1872 Hansen Aug. 21, ,1928

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,047,141 July 31, 9

John R, Burns It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 14, after "each" insert other Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1963.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD l ing O fi r Commissioner of Patents 

